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The James Marks

Academy Trust

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A NOTE FROM JAMES MUM

 

There is so much to know about James Casey Marks.  An inspirational and accomplished young man at such a young age. James' kindness and compassion towards others was legendary.  James had an abundance of enviable characteristics that made him one of the most remarkable, lovable and graceful souls, people gravitated towards him. He had a wonderful sense of humor and made everyone laugh. He exuded a sense of positivity, warmth and kindness that made people feel comfortable.  He was very charismatic and had a magnetic presence, he was confident and had a genuine interest in others.  He showed empathy and was able to connect with people on an emotional level which made them feel valued and understood.  James was a very authentic child and was true to himself and who he was, he was welcoming of all kinds of people and was an extremely popular person.

 

James was diagnosed with Autism early in life and seeking appropriate educational support was extremely difficult, he missed out on three years of school due to the fact that a suitable placement could not be found, that was until we stumbled across Roman Fields. The decision to send James to Roman Fields was one of the best decisions we made, James flourished in this caring, supportive and accepting environment. The staff at RF are all teachers in a league of their own with a strong understanding of children with complex needs and the desire and dedication to bring out the best in the children that attended their school. They turned the lives of so many around and James was so happy to go to school, even when he became very poorly he asked if he could go to school, a testament to the unique and incredible teachers who taught him. Prior to James attending Roman Fields the schools Head Teacher Trevor Orchard actively gathered information about James in terms of his interests and passions and incorporated them into his curriculum.  These activities included horse riding, swimming, cooking and his biggest passion rock climbing, James was given the choice every week as to which of these activities he wanted to do and each Friday the school would arrange that for him. He was also very musical and loved playing the piano and keyboard.  James had such happy and positive feelings about school which is usually a difficult feat to achieve but as unique as James was, so too was Roman Fields. A strong minded yet vulnerable child, with the help from RF James' confidence sky rocketed and he gained his status as one of the most unforgettable and undeniably amazing individuals you could ever meet.  James wanted to become an inventor as he had a passion for the sciences and his ideas were nothing short of genius, he spent so much time researching and drawing diagrams of ideas he created.  He had a strong desire to help those less fortunate and he expressed that when his inventions became reality he would donate all the money to poor people to fix broken happiness.  He was the most selfless person with a huge passion for helping others. James believed that autism was his super power and with that super power he wanted to change the world for the better.  

 

James was an avid sports fan and loved the outdoor active lifestyle. When we went rock climbing together it was very difficult to keep up with him, he was very patient with me when I needed to be rescued due to my fear of heights, after the fourth time being rescued James gently suggested that I just watch in future, this was said with a cheeky smile and a loving wink.  It was so much fun to watch him and how skillful he was at climbing but I agreed that I was better off on firm ground.  He was instinctively an incredible swimmer with skills that impressed even the strongest of swimmers and lifeguards, he was so comfortable in water and would swim at least three times per week.

 

His character was very unique, he radiated a calm aura and showed great respect to everyone he met. In James' eyes we were all equal.  He often used to say to me that kindness is the highest form of wisdom and that if you have the power to make someone smile, then you are an incredibly powerful person.  

 

James was diagnosed with D.I.P.G a complex brain tumor in December 2016 and underwent intensive chemotherapy and radiotherapy for two years, although he was extremely ill he never complained and always had a smile. James underwent very complex brain surgery to determine the extent of the tumor but sadly the tumor was in the pons area of the brain, the only part of the brain that is inoperable. One week after the brain surgery James contracted Meningitis and was again rushed to surgery, he remained in intensive care for a week and as weak and fragile as he was he fought the meningitis and won, what strength my boy had! A few days after he was released from ICU he was craving a certain food, steak pie and mashed potatoes, so I took James over to a restaurant in his wheel chair to collect the food to take back to the hospital which was at the time our home.  On the way back James spotted a homeless person and asked me to stop pushing him so he could talk to him, they conversed for a while and James asked if he was hungry to which he replied yes, James immediately offered his food and Danny was extremely grateful. Of course we went back to buy more food for James. This was in Euston square in London where there are a lot of business people walking around and I witnessed how uncomfortable people felt observing James' act of kindness,  a child in a wheelchair with metal staples all the way down his skull holding it together,  a child in such a terrible position showing compassion towards another human being.  This led a lot of people to stop and comment and quite a few gave their own lunch sandwiches and money to Danny, James' selfless act became infectious and warmed the hearts of passers by, it was beautiful to witness. I feel so privileged that James is my son, we had the best times together just the two of us and we were desperately in love with each other. The love I have for my child is endless and the weight of losing him is a weight no parent should ever have to bear.  We have a bond that cannot be broken and it was my absolute pleasure to be his Mother.  James sadly lost his battle to this terrible brain tumor on April 2nd 2018 the day the angels came to take him from my arms and take him home. The world is a much sadder place without James Casey Marks but his legacy will live on through the lives of those his school will go on to help.  James was and will remain my hero, he made my life complete and not a day goes by that my heart does not cry for him.  The pain of living without my son is an indescribable torture.  I will continue to do good and to help those in need to honor my son and give his life meaning.  We will be reunited one day and I can once again hold my child.

 

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The James Marks

Academy Trust

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James Marks Academy Trust

Roman Fields, 11 Box Lane,

Hemel Hempstead,

Herts, HP3 0DF

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01442 256915

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